instructors

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WHAT THEY SAY about McAllister Motorcycle Safety School..

Did you attend one of the school sessions? We'd love to hear from you.
Send us a note about your McAllister experience!

" I had a great day. Tons of track time. Carl and the instructors were extremely helpful and obviously very experienced. I improved my cornering skills and gained more confidence on the track. I will certainly return for another session"
Beth Braun, April 2008

" Thank you so much Carl.

The April track day was the best track day I've done yet. The staff was very pleasant, experienced and knowledgeable. I was given a lot of one on one instruction which only improved me as a rider along with helping me go faster on the track. This track day gave me more track time than any other day that I've gone along with riding with a great group of people. Everyone in each class was very respectful and riding to improve themselves not to win. So all the people who want to have the time of your life this is the best way to start. Carl see you at the races and thanks again."

David Rosen

GM of Gengras Ducati,BMW and Triumph motorcycles in East Hartford, CT.

I just wanted to say thanks for a great day at the track. All members of the staff were friendly and helpful, and the sheer amount of track time was invaluable. I thank Carl specifically for being kind enough to take me out for an additional track walk at the end of the day so I could take better notes and better understand the mental strategies involved in racing. I will most definitely sign up for McAllister Motorcycle Safety School in the near future.

Jennifer Ross, April 2008

I enrolled in Carl's school to get training for vintage racing, what i also got was a stunning improvement in my street riding skills, when i returned home and went for a ride on my road bike i felt safer, more confident, and better able to handle the unexpected, i was very impressed at immediate change for the better, it made street riding even more enjoyable as i felt more relaxed, better prepared to face any challenge,
Don't wait try it you well be satisfied with the result, besides its cheaper than an MRI and way more fun!

thanks Richard Midgley

Louden / Carl McAllister 8-15-07 track day report.

OK, this is going to be long, and you may find it tedious, but it's
my log of what happened ˆ which I need to create.

We started with a track-walk. Carl is a great host. Concise to the
point and with a touch of easy-going humor. We walked the line and
he stuffed our heads with a ton of data.

I have done Keith Code (Pocano) and Team Promotion (VIR) days, so
this was my 4th time on a track. I chose to be in "B" group. This
may have been a mistake because that group at this event was a fast
one. Not a terrible mistake. I may have been more comfortable in
the "A" group.

My SV650 was running great. The jetting work was perfect. Loosening
the rebound got rid of the bulk of my wheel-hop. Bike was in pretty
good trim. I would later find out that my upgraded suspension was
still lacking, and that I was going to have some trouble with the
ergonomics of the Woodcraft clip-ons because of vision.

Met Mike there ˆ he helped me get acclamated with the garage
situation, sign-up and then the track itself. Good thing, `cause I
was lost.

1st session: Followed Mike for a few times around. I was having
troubles that I could not define yet. Neck killing me. Can't see far
enough ahead. Found that I was to become the lap-marker for the "B"
group. Did not expect this ˆ very discouraged. Felt I was in over my
head. Maybe I should pack it in∑

2nd. session: Followed Mike a little more and then went off on my
own. Was in my own space ˆ way behind the rest of the group ˆ that's
good actually. Neck killing me. Dragging kickstand hard ˆ so I'm
doing a little better.

Removed kickstand. Realized that my helmet was sinking down too low
giving vision and neck problem, so I made a helmet spacer out of
those blue shop rags. Mike gave me some Advil.

3rd. session. Right away it was a different world for me. Vision
problem gone. Neck ˆ no problem. Getting into the flow and building
a rythym. Moved beyond my personal-best and now I'm getting buzzed.
Worked-out most of the problem areas with better lines and
strategies. People still passing me but now I'm keeping up with
some, and finding that one rider (who had been previously been
kicking my ass) was holding me up in the tight stuff. Took 3 laps
before I got the nerve to pass in turn 3. This was my first real
pass on a track. I was moving up in ability and way up in
confidence. Felt that I could keep up with many in the real tight
corners. Almost everyone was faster than me in the medium stuff.
That's a win for me because the tight turns are the big attraction
for me. I am definetly not a top-end guy. Not yet. Was very
satisfied to see that I had improved my corner entry speed coming
off the front straight into turn 1. Never expected to enter that
fast (still much slower that most of the other riders). My lines
were really shaping-up. The photographer at turn 12 kept giving me
the thumbs-up, so that was encouraging too. I made an effort to be
in good form there, hope it came out on film so I can see what the
reality was. Came back into the pits amped-up. This session alone
was worth the price of admission and all the work to get there.
Anything after this would be icing on the cake.

4th. session: Followed Michael out again. I really wanted him to see
that I was doing good and having fun, but I put those thoughts out
of my mind. After the first time around he gave me the signal to get
in front heading towards turn 3. I was thinking about the braking
concept that Carl had explained earlier. I had also read the same
thing from Kevin Swantz. I put my attention on trying that technique
while I should not have. I really was way off the line going into 3 ˆ
a sort of double-apex crossing rough pavement and exiting uphill.
This is one of my favorite corners. I was carrying a fair amount of
speed. Soon I was seeing the wrong part of the corner before me. I
felt I could make the needed correction. OK boy, look into the exit
and push those bars hard. I executed the correction and was headed
in the right direction fully expecting to be banging the next gear
2/3 up the hill. Can you imagine my surprise when the next frame was
that of the SV sliding away from me a little fast than I was sliding
myself? Another first for me ˆ getting-off at the track in my
leathers. Odd thought as sliding ˆ I took note of how comfortable I
was and how well my gear was protecting me.

Why did I slide? I never expected to. I completed the correction
perfectly and thought I was out. It took me a few hours of re-
running the tape to get it. This part of the track passes over the
oval track that the cars use. It's rough ˆ Carl warned us about
that. Well, the suspension on my bike makes it sort of like riding a
trampoline. I blew it when I took the wrong line at speed ˆ OK. I
made a great correction ˆ OK. But I didn't get out. I was pointed
directly up the hill in the right direction when the bike went out
from under me. If I had better suspension I might have made it ˆ but
that is not where the main blame falls. Later on I realized I did
nothing to mediate my throttle on corner exit. I don't remember
saying to myself "you are leaned way over on rough pavment ˆ go
easy". I think I must have gunned it like I did every other time
exiting that corner. I think that may have been the straw that broke
the camel's back. So it was a new experience and two important
lessons for me. Don't f-around with experiments when your attention
should be elsewhere, and don't gun it when leaned-over (even on a
little SV650). I was lucky.

The track: A very exciting track. You must ride this. Twelve turns
over 1.6 miles. Elevations. A 120 degree heavily banked radius going
down low and shooting back up-go as fast as you want here. Compound
twisties. A great front straight. Fantastic pit area and pit lanes.
A great open-air garage to keep you out of the sun ˆ with work
benches. Quite the experience. Very technical and very different
than the other two tracks that I have been on. As a challenge, this
would be my choice out of the three.

This is far superior to riding fast on the street. You are going to
improve much faster while staying safe. If you do slide, it won't be
into a guardrail, or the woods or a lane of oncoming traffic.

The McAllister program is very good. He and all his people are
helpful and organized.

Thank you for your help Mike. I'm gonna do it again. But, right now
I have some parts to order.

Denis

Hey Carl, here is the picture of you and Steph after you gave her a ride at the track the other day. She had a blast. There is another picture of Steph and then one that Steph took of me which came out pretty good. Thanks for a great track day, and Ill see you again next year.

Mitch Riley
(The prison hat guy)

July 1, 08 was my second track day. I raced in the vintage events on July 4 and 5 for the first time, applying what I was trying to accomplish a few days before, and it made a big difference. Thanks!

Thanks again for a great trackday Carl. I was looking forward to the track walk and it helped tons!!! It really did. The instructors were were very helpful and gave me alot of good and useful feedback, with a little hrassing thrown in. Most likely I'll see you again in Aug.

Thanks again, Doug Holland - nov. #207